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"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." - Walt Disney

Hello world! If you are new, welcome to the Luminstruct blog! My name is Mark and I am currently working on a "365-Word Project" by posting reflections on various words every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Today's word is "Innocence"

This past week my girlfriend and I visited Disney World and it still remains to be the happiest place on earth for me! It is hard to explain, but when find yourself in a long Goofy hug, are surprised by a shower of fireworks which light up the evening sky, or join Jack Sparrow in search of hidden treasure, you

are suddenly transformed back into a kid! The worry of tomorrow leaves your mind and your heart becomes lighter when you give up your hardships and believe in magic once more. Below is a list of my favorite rides/shows at Epcot, Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom which did just that, enjoy.

Epcot:Living with the Land- Call me a dork, but this ride really surprised me! Tucked away in the "land pavilion", it is easy to overlook (especially with Soarin' next to it), but give this ride a chance. What seems like a simple boat ride to get out of the heat quickly became an amazing educational experience as you travel through four different greenhouses, a fish farm and other research facilities to learn about agriculture and horticulture!

Turtle Talk with Crush- In retrospect, this experience is more geared toward the kids, but it puts into perspective how amazing technology can be. For about ten minutes, Crush (the turtle from 'Finding Nemo') swims by and answers questions about turtles and other marine life. Although it might not sound that interesting, the animated turtle on the screen actually does talk with the kids and uses their names! It is a great way to relay knowledge to the kids and is a very comedic show for the adults. It totally rocks dude!Animal Kingdom:Wilderness Explorers- Another easily overlooked area. Before heading over to Everest, grab a Wilderness Explorers book from the kiosk close to the entry of the park. As you travel through the park, you can visit various sites on the map and earn merit badges (stickers) for learning different facts. Some of these facts are about animals (why flamingos are pink), some are about cultures (meeting individuals from Asia and learning how to write our names in Hindi), some discuss the importance of conservation and others are just plain fun (The Yeti Badge!) It's an easy way to ensure you don't miss anything at the park and you actually learn a lot when you complete all 31 badge tasks! "The Wilderness must be Explored! CAW CAW ROAR!"

Festival of the Lion King- If you ever want a reminder what Disney is all about, look no further than the Festival of the Lion King! With so many beautiful colors, costumes and magnificent singing voices, it is a show you won't want to miss! The video below is only a section of the show where the monkeys show off their acrobatic skills!

Magic Kingdom:Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress- Easily my favorite ride in the entire kingdom, the Carousel of Progress takes you on a journey through the 20th century with an all-american family. Maybe it is because this was the only ride Disney had touched in Orlando when he took it to the World's fair, but I have always found the message beautiful.

Enchanted Tales with Belle- The concept is simple, you reenact the story of Beauty and the Beast with Belle. But by letting the kids play the part and adding a magic mirror, this show has crept quickly into my heart!

The Haunted Mansion- An old frightening classic with some new magic recently added if you are wearing a "magic band". Keep an eye out for hitchhiking ghosts!

Mickey's PhilharMagic- Very possibly my second favorite attraction. During a behind the scenes tour this year, our tour-guide informed us that this show was created to represent the way Disney always pictured the movie 'Fantasia' to be. With 4D effects as the ushers misted the audience with spray bottles when it rained in the movie or to spray various perfumes when flowers were shown. If anything it reminds me of the magic Disney has created throughout the years, how far he has come and is a secret nod to where the company used to be.

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